Less than 24 hours after becoming a WNBA champion, Ramsay High School grad Jaylyn Sherrod spoke with WVTM 13 Monday while on an Uber ride from Manhattan back to Brooklyn, New York.
“To be on a team that won a championship, I think more than anything, it’s a blessing. Just trying to take it all in,” Sherrod said.
Jaylyn Sherrod plays with the NY Liberty, on August 22, at Barclays Center in New York City, New York. (John McClellan, Wikipedia)
It’s the point guard’s first year playing professional basketball with New York Liberty, yet she acknowledges that Birmingham is the reason why.
“So many people who were a part of my process came from home. I almost think about it like their hard work paid off as well,” Sherrod said.
Her former basketball coach, Ronnie Jackson, is one of those people Sherrod says was a part of her process and journey. Jackson was so happy he texted Sherrod congratulations on the win.
“I was crying on one part, and I was happy on the other because I’m just so excited for our kids to reach a level, a goal that they’ve been trying to get to for so long and to finally get there,” Jackson, former Ramsay girls basketball coach from 2014 to 2019, said.
Jaylyn Sherrod played four years for Ramsey High School.
Sherrod played basketball at Ramsay High School for four years. The school will retire her high school jersey next Tuesday night at 6 p.m. The event, called “Jay Day,” will be held inside the school’s gymnasium.
“It’s crazy to think they think that highly of me. It’s just amazing. I appreciate the support more than anything,” Sherrod said.
Jackson says, off the court, Sherrod dealt with a lot of issues. So, after practice, she made sure to stay behind to perfect her craft so that she’d be the champion she is today.
Jackson said, “She had an injury her senior year, which the doctor said that she might not be able to play basketball again, and she survived that. She ended up playing and got a scholarship to Colorado. Played very well there. Undrafted again? But she never wavered.”
BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times
TIFFANY & VICTOR HUNTER
Live: McCalla
Married: April 25, 1998
Met: April 1996, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Westin Hotel and Resorts in downtown Indianapolis. Victor was working at the front desk when Tiffany and her family traveled in from Illinois to see her younger sister play volleyball. Tiffany, who was 23 years old at the time said she spotted Victor, who was 25, at the time, through the big lobby windows, and told her aunt “I’ve got to have him.”
“As he was checking us in, I was checking him out,” said Tiffany, “and while he was trying to pull up our booking I looked at his name tag and said, ‘So Victor, where is there to go out around here?’ and he [gave really short answers] … and I’m like what’s wrong with his guy, I’m trying to pick you up here,” she laughed. “And when we got to our room my mom said, ‘why are you trying to pick this guy up, he’s trying to do his job.’ And I said, ‘you’ve been married 25 years, I’m trying to find my husband.’”
Moments later, Victor called her hotel room with instructions on the coffee maker “I’m cocky, I knew he wasn’t calling about the coffee maker,” Tiffany said. After she and her family got settled, Tiffany left the room to head down to the lobby and happened to run into Victor on the elevator.
“…lo and behold, there she was on the elevator as I was getting on it and we struck up a conversation. And as we headed down to the lobby, I asked her if she was doing anything later and if she wanted to grab something to eat,” Victor recalled. “My heart was beating fast, but I [pushed through it], and she said ‘yes,’ and I said, ‘I get off at 4:00, meet me in the lobby at 4:30.’”
There was a mall attached to the hotel, and they chose to go there to grab a bite. This made Tiffany feel more comfortable because she didn’t have to travel in the car with a stranger and the mall had a massive crowd of people. “I thought if he tries to take me, I’ll just scream,” she laughed.
First date: The same day, at Circle City Mall in Indianapolis, Indiana. They ate at a restaurant that they can’t recall and had a steak dinner.
“I’m almost 6 foot, I’m 5’11 and 3 quarters, so I like the fact that he was tall, he’s 6’5. I had already started the interview process when we were in the elevator, I asked if he had any kids and if he’d ever been married, and I was relieved that the answers to those questions were ‘no’ because it can be hard to find people without attachments at age 25,” she said. “I was also very intrigued that he did not use profanity, he still doesn’t till this day, and that was something that was very different for me and I appreciate it.”
Victor said he was a little nervous “because she was beautiful [and] I had not met a lot of women who were tall, and I liked all of her features. Tiffany was very talkative and she carried herself very well. She was very articulate, and I was feeling pretty good,” he said. “I didn’t expect my day to go like that, meeting someone from out of town and going to dinner …”
The pair exchanged numbers and Tiffany returned to Illinois the next day. They began conversing on the phone and arranged to meet up again the following month in May. Tiffany drove to Indiana from Illinois between 4-5 hours, after which, Victor decided to use some vacation time and went to Illinois the next month in June to spend time with her.
The turn: August 1997. “I was told I was going to be laid off and I decided I was going to move to Indiana,” Tiffany said. “Victor was living with his brother at the time and he asked if we could move in together, and I said ‘absolutely not,’” said Tiffany, “I told him, ‘I don’t know you like that.’ But we lived in the same complex and basically shared walls. I had my own place and Victor had his own place.”
A year later, Victor’s lease came to an end a couple of months before Tiffany’s and he proposed living together again. This time, Tiffany said yes, but said, “I expect a ring within six months, or I’m going back to Illinois.”
Victor didn’t mind the ultimatum. “I was at a point in my life where I was done dating, I was looking for Mrs. Hunter, and I was ready to settle down,” he said. “I was tired of dating women that weren’t serious, and after Tiffany moved here and we were living in the same apartment complex, I knew she was the one.”
The pair started ring shopping, learned more about each other and worked on a six-month ring timeline, and Victor became determined to propose as soon as he purchased the ring, which happened just two months later. “I wanted to make sure I had things lined up for her,” he said.
Tiffany and Victor Hunter met in 1996 at a hotel in downtown Indianapolis and married in 1998. (Provided Photos)
The proposal: October 1997, at Jewelry 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“When I got the ring in my hands, I looked at her and said, ‘it’s time to do it.’ I got on one knee right there in that jewelry store and asked her if she would marry me … She said ‘yes’, and I got up and we hugged and kissed, and [the staff] took a picture of us to add to their book of people who had gotten engaged in the store. We went to dinner to celebrate at Outback Steakhouse.”
“I was excited and I was surprised that he did it right there in the store, but I was happy. The ring was a marquise with baguette diamonds on the side. I still have the ring, but we upgraded after 10 years. [After dinner] I called and told my mom,” Tiffany recalled.
The wedding: In Indianapolis at a church, they can’t recall, officiated by their good friend, Reverend J.R. Reid. Their colors were purple and white. Tiffany said they had “an accelerated wedding” because in April of 1998, they found out they were expecting while in the midst of planning a big wedding and decided to expedite the process and married 24 days later.
“I already had my dress and everything, so it was fine,” Tiffany said.
Most memorable for the bride was the reception her parents threw a few months later. “My mom and dad had a huge reception for us in August of 1998 in Illinois, and I was very pregnant but we had a great time, the reception was beautiful. We didn’t have a huge reception after the wedding, we just had dinner (Victor’s aunt cooked), we had cake and people said some words, but the biggest moment for me was in August 1998 because I was the first one [of the family] to get married, and it was nice that my dad was able to walk me down the aisle and we got to share that moment. Friends and family from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania came in…”
Most memorable for the groom was a mishap at the altar. “We were in the middle of the ceremony and we were lighting the unity candle and right when we lit it the unity candle tilted and fell over and I had to grab it,” Victor said. “It was headed towards Tiffany’s dress and some of the wax fell on her dress… It was memorable because everyone was laughing and scared at the same time, but we got it straightened out and got the ceremony back on track.”
They honeymooned a year later on a 7-day cruise to “Montego Bay, the Grand Cayman Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico,” said Victor.
Words of wisdom: “Learn to compromise because everyone has a stake in the marriage. Communicate, and continue to date,” said Victor.
“We have been through a lot of rough times in our marriage, and you have to find mentors who are not family members to help you through those times because you need counsel. Even in the tough times we’ve had in our marriage, we’ve managed to stay together and not call it quits because Victor has been my calm. In my head, I’m like ‘ok, I’m done’, but Victor is like ‘I’m not going anywhere’. I’m very hotheaded, so having someone who balances you that way is very important,” said Tiffany.
Happily ever after: The Hunters attend Rock City Church on Valleydale Rd. and have six children: Kyra, 25, Victoria, 23, Gabrielle, 18, twins Chenelle and Cheyenne, 14, and Annalise, 11. They relocated from Aurora, Illinois to Birmingham in June 2000 for a career opportunity with a local non-profit.
Tiffany, 52, is a Woodridge, Illinois native, who attended Western Illinois University on a full athletic scholarship and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, arts, and sciences. She is an entrepreneur/loc technician with her own business, Loc Your World, in McCalla.
Victor, 54, is a Glasgow, Kentucky native, and attended Western Kentucky University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and studied cyber security at Auburn University where he obtained a certificate of completion. Victor works for CVS Pharmacy as a shift manager in Hoover.
“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
Vanessa Kirkland is among several dozen seniors who participate in “Get Fit While You Sit" exercise classes held at various locations in Birmingham and Bessemer areas. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Veronica O’Neal, a retired forklift operator who lives in the Birmingham area remembers sitting at home “doing nothing” and not being mobile until she was invited to a class.
Once she arrived “the elderly people inspired me to continue to come because I feel like if they could do it, I could do it too,” she said. “The class has been really inspiring to me because I get a chance to move better than what I was.”
Charlesetta McLain is among several dozen seniors who participate in “Get Fit While You Sit” exercise classes held at various locations in Birmingham and Bessemer areas. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
The class is “Get Fit While You Sit: 1 Step 2 Fitness” held at various locations in Birmingham and Bessemer led by Sam “DJ Maestro” Anderson who teaches women ages 60 and over, including an 85-year-old, how to stay fit. The classes began in 2019 with one, and now they are held at various locations around the Birmingham metropolitan area including Titusville Senior Center, Daniel Payne Community Plaza and Bessemer Recreation Center.
“It wasn’t that big (at first) and then it just started picking up more and more,” said Anderson. “… it amazes me sometimes.”
Before his arrival in Birmingham from Detroit approximately four years ago, Anderson said he had already been part of a fitness program just to help himself. “I needed to do some exercises … I [have] a sciatic/hip problem. It’s a bone-to-bone type of thing, so it’s hard for me to stand up and do these exercises. That’s why we came up with this (One Step to Fitness), so we can sit down and still get a full body [workout].”
Once the program started to take off “we kind of packaged it, put it in a bottle and started going around doing it,” he said. “I just want to give everybody some hope.”
O’Neal, 63, said she’s “been with 1 Step 2 Fitness a little over a year. I do three classes with them a week. I do Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday,” O’Neal said. “I had a total shoulder replacement. It was just no good from working all those years. I couldn’t bend good. I couldn’t even raise my arm so now I can move very well.”
The favorite part of the class, O’Neal said,” is all of it … all of us working out together. It gives me something to do. We go out for lunch occasionally and everybody gets along well.”
Sam “Maestro” Anderson, Instructor and Lois Germany, have combined for a Get Fit While You Sit program on MYTV 68 WABM at 11 a.m. on Saturdays. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
Renee Looney, 67, has been a part of Get Fit for two years. “I had a church member, Mrs. Evelyn Blackman, that advertised it quite a bit. I knew that I needed to get into a regimen where there were other people for health reasons. I just finally decided to come, and I heard the music, and I was like wow, this is good.”
Her favorite part has been, “the exercise itself. We all have different inspirations to keep us motivated,” whether it be health related or just for personal growth.
Since joining, Looney said she has seen a major improvement in her health.
“Each time that I go to the doctor, I tell them that I continuously participate in a fitness class. When I had a few health-related issues last year, they recommended that I keep up with my physical health. I just enjoy it now. It’s a part of my life. Before I retired (from Southern Company after 18 years), I was always moving because of my job. When I retired, my mom got sick and that limited me. I took care of her for a little over three years, and now that I am in a program it helps me to keep moving.”
Lois Germany, who works with Anderson, said the program is more than about fitness.
“We create an experience,” she said. “We are not just an exercise class. We pray for each other. When someone has had surgery or been out sick, we collect money. We raffle expensive gifts at the end of class no charge to them.”
Renee Looney, left and Veronica O’Neal are participants in “Get Fit While You Sit” exercise classes held at various locations in Birmingham and Bessemer areas. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
Most of the seniors are widows and many like O’Neal weren’t doing many fitness programs. “Now they have a place to come to where they can work on their bodies and work on their minds. Most of our classes we have 40-plus members,” said Germany.
Germany is no stranger to fitness. She is the founder of the Sixth Avenue [Baptist Church] Sliders Line Dance Fitness Ministry, a group dedicated to using all line dances.
Germany said each class has their own Facebook Page so that so they can visit the page or share with their children and grandchildren. Also, she’s working with Anderson to create their new “Get Fit While You Sit” TV show which began Saturday September 28 and viewers can get fit while they sit at home by tuning in to MYTV 68 WABM at 11 a.m. on Saturdays.
A National Science Foundation grant seeks to address HBCUs' research capacity needs by providing access to advanced facilities, resources, and training. (File)
Miles College
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded $3 million to be dispersed among multiple HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to support The HBCU Ujima Collective, a groundbreaking initiative led by Miles College to enhance research capacity across five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Miles College, serving as the lead institution, will coordinate efforts with Howard University, Morgan State University, Tennessee State University, and Winston-Salem State University to build a robust research infrastructure and foster innovation.
The HBCU Ujima Collective aims to provide student researchers, faculty, and emerging grant professionals with the skills necessary to enhance research capacity and secure future funding opportunities. The grant will be used for student stipends and scholarships, faculty development funds, and consortium activities to foster collaboration and innovation.
“This project is a collaborative success story,” said President Bobbie Knight of Miles College. “By working with these accomplished Co-PIs, we’re elevating Miles College and the entire HBCU community. Miles College, an emerging research institution, is proud to partner with prestigious institutions, including HBCUs, approaching the coveted R1 status.”
“It is an honor to work with each of the co-principal investigators on this project who all bring significant expertise and previous NSF recognition, which strengthens our ability to make a lasting impact on research and innovation,” said the Principal Investigator, Dr. Jarralynne Agee, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Miles College, who will lead this collaborative effort.
Agee will work closely with a distinguished team of Co-Principal Investigators, including Dr. Kimberley Freeman, Professor of Educational Psychology at Howard University, Dr. Damon Bryant, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Morgan State University, Dr. Catherine Armwood-Gordon, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at Tennessee State University and Dr. Rashunda Stitt, Associate Professor of Psychology at Winston-Salem State University.
The NSF grant, awarded through the Advancing Research Capacity at HBCUs through Exploration and Innovation (ARC-HBCU) initiative, seeks to address HBCUs’ research capacity needs by providing access to advanced facilities, resources, and training. The project will support student researchers, faculty development, and research training across multiple states, including Alabama, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.
NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan emphasized the importance of this collective effort, stating, “The NSF ARC-HBCU Ideas Lab is an excellent opportunity to foster collaboration among HBCUs. By connecting talent from different institutions, we can build a more integrated and impactful research network that addresses the most pressing needs of these colleges.”
The grant is funded by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Excellence in Research (HBCU-EiR) program, which was established in response to the direction provided in the Senate Commerce and Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Report (Senate Report 115-139). It is built on prior and continuing efforts by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to strengthen research capacity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The grant’s performance period began mid-September, and one of its key components is the development of a series of masterclasses — starting with a grant-writing workshop in November — to equip HBCU faculty, students, and staff with the skills necessary to secure research funding and expand their research capabilities.
Students, including lifelong adult learners, who are interested in these opportunities are encouraged to apply. Open registration for Term 2 of the Fall 2024 semester is still available, and prospective students can learn more by visiting www.miles.edu.
The highly anticipated Magic City Classic will be broadcast live on ESPNU on Saturday, Oct. 26, from Legion Field in Birmingham. (ClutchPoints)
By Renee Douglas | ClutchPoints
The 83rd Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State, one of the largest and most historic HBCU football classics, will take center stage with national exposure this weekend. The highly anticipated game will be broadcast live on ESPNU on Saturday, Oct. 26, from historic Legion Field in Birmingham.
Originally listed as “TBD” on the SWAC football ESPN schedule released in June, it was recently confirmed by the conference on Oct. 14 that the game would air on ESPNU. This decision elevates the Magic City Classic from ESPN+ streaming to a national TV broadcast, showcasing it to a wider audience. Known as the largest HBCU classic in the country, the Magic City Classic has a long tradition of drawing massive crowds. Legion Field, which seats 71,000, saw an attendance of 69,210 in 2023, with thousands more tailgaters adding to the weeklong festivities outside the stadium.
With both Alabama A&M and Alabama State fighting to stay in contention for the SWAC Championship Game, the stakes for this matchup are high. Alabama A&M enters the game with a 3-3 overall record (1-1 in SWAC), while Alabama State stands at 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
In 2023, Alabama A&M renegotiated its contract with Alabama State and the City of Birmingham to ensure that the Magic City Classic would remain at Legion Field for the next four years. “These two deserving HBCUs will receive the highest guaranteed payout in the history of HBCU athletics,” said Perren King, Executive Director of the event. “This guarantee is higher than some FBS bowl game payouts.”
The Magic City Classic isn’t the only HBCU football matchup to receive national attention. Jackson State vs. Florida A&M, another significant SWAC rivalry, was moved to ESPNU for Oct. 19, and both games will play a pivotal role in the SWAC Championship and Celebration Bowl races.ESPN’s coverage of HBCU football has been extensive this season, airing games such as Edward Waters vs. Benedict College (ESPN2), University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (ESPN2), and Tuskegee vs. Johnson C. Smith (ESPNU). With the Magic City Classic now in the national spotlight, the tradition and excitement of HBCU football continue to captivate audiences across the country.
Renee Douglas is a junior, mass communications major at North Carolina A&T studying journalism and public relations. She also serves as a marketing intern for McClatchy.
After a loved one receives a breast cancer diagnosis, one UAB expert says it is important for caregivers to know how they can best support the patient during the difficult time. (Adobe Stock)
A breast cancer diagnosis can take both an emotional and physical toll on a patient. After a loved one’s diagnosis, one expert at the University of Alabama BirminghamO’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center says it is important for caregivers to know how they can best support patients after a breast cancer diagnosis.
“A breast cancer diagnosis is a shock,” said Catherine Parker, M.D., a breast surgical oncologist at the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. “That shock should not be minimized. One of the most helpful things friends and family can do is let the patient know that it is perfectly OK to take time to process the diagnosis and make the treatment decision that is best for them.”
After Diagnosis
After a loved one receives a breast cancer diagnosis, Parker says it is important for caregivers to know how they can best support the patient during the difficult time.
“When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, the different advice and opinions can sometimes be overwhelming for the patient,” Parker said. “One of the most helpful things caregivers can do is to assure the patient that their treatment is their choice.”
Parker says allowing the patient to talk through their goals can be helpful for them.
“Some patients prefer larger surgeries, and some prefer smaller surgeries,” Parker said. “Helping your family member determine what their goals are can help them make the best decision for them. However, even knowing their goals, the choice can still be overwhelming sometimes. If they cannot come to that peace of mind, their provider may encourage them to start small.”
Patients may feel a lot of different emotions after a diagnosis. They may feel anxious about their treatment or next mammogram. Some patients may feel guilt, because they do not see their diagnosis as “severe” as those of other patients they may encounter. After treatment, some patients may feel as though they have lost their sense of direction in life after their treatment has concluded. No matter the emotion, Parker says, it is important for patients to feel validated in those emotions and have time to process them as they come.
“Allow the patient a safe space to share what they are feeling during this process,” Parker said. “As part of their support system, you do not have to offer a solution to their problems. It can be helpful for patients if someone is just there to listen to them while they go through this process.”
It can be helpful to ask the patient if they would like someone to come with them to their appointments since there is a lot of information that patients will hear at their appointments. However, if the patient would rather go to their appointments alone, Parker says that is perfectly fine too. Whether they elect to have someone come with them or prefer to go alone, it can be helpful to take some time before an appointment to help the patient think of any questions they have and write them down.
During Treatment
Caregivers can support patients by securing transportation to and from treatments. While some patients may prefer to drive themselves, others may prefer having someone drive them to their treatments. Caregivers should talk to the patient to determine what is best for them.
Patients may experience numerous side effects, including pain, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, hair loss, stomach issues, and more. Parker recommends talking to the patient’s oncologists about these side effects and determining some ways to address them. Doctors may recommend certain medications, cold caps, moisturizers or a special diet, among other recommendations.
Some ways caregivers can support patients include:
Going for a grocery run
Arranging for a cleaning company to service their house
Assisting with transporting children to extracurricular activities
Providing child care after school hours
Setting up a healthy meal train
Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center is hosting Haute Pink, its marque fundraiser, on Thursday, Oct. 17. This event was designed to inspire, empower, support, and honor Alabama breast cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones by featuring 10 of Forge’s clients modeling outfits created just for them by local Birmingham fashion designers.
Caregivers should be aware that, after cancer treatments, some patients might not have a taste for the same foods because they may taste different. Give the patient opportunities to try different foods, do not force them to eat, and encourage them to eat healthy when they can.
The patient’s emotional needs should continue to be prioritized during treatment. Continue to provide them a space to communicate what they are feeling without judgment.
Patients may feel a lot of different emotions after a diagnosis. They may feel anxious about their treatment or next mammogram. (Adobe Stock)
Resources
The UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center has multiple resources for patients with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors.
The Angel Squad is a group of breast cancer survivors located in the Breast Health Clinic waiting room who talk with patients and answer any questions they may have about their breast cancer journey.
The Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and UAB Medicine partner, serves breast cancer survivors and co-survivors residing or receiving treatment in the following counties: Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker. Forge creates a personalized survivorship plan for each participant and offers a range of services, including:
Health and wellness classes
Professional mental health counseling
Telephone support
Legal and financial counseling
Gardening, exercise and cooking events
Support groups
Peer-mentor matching
The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers. The Lodge provides:
Private guest rooms and bathrooms
Fully equipped community kitchens for food storage and preparation
Gathering areas/great rooms and community dining rooms
Free laundry rooms stocked with supplies
Outdoor, reflection or meditation spaces
A library and/or resource rooms
TVs and computer access
Dedicated volunteers helping to ensure a comfortable stay for our guests and frequently cooking/providing meals
The Next Steps Clinic – Breast Cancer Survivorship offers specialized follow-up care focused on the unique needs of breast cancer patients. Survivorship care is provided by a nurse practitioner with expertise in breast cancer care needs, both during and after treatment. Nurses will work closely with the patient’s primary treatment team and follow a personalized plan. Patients will receive:
Monitoring for long-term effects of breast cancer treatment
Referral for management of identified problems
A Survivorship Guide Book with personalized details of your treatment and guidelines for continued monitoring
Recommendations for preventive care
Access to relevant information, resources and services
UAB Medicine’s Supportive Care Clinic helps patients manage the symptoms and side effects often associated with serious illnesses such as cancer. Patients have access to a variety of specialists that can manage multiple conditions, including:
Physicians and nurse practitioners who have special expertise in managing complex symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite and pain syndromes
Nurses who support patients by facilitating the clinic visits and responding to phone calls
Physical therapists who develop individualized programs for each patient to help improve coordination, balance, strength, endurance, flexibility and range of motion
Cancer counselors who are experienced in designing a variety of counseling sessions that meet the specific needs of each patient, such as cancer-psychological counseling to manage distress or to quit smoking
Nutritionists who have expertise in helping ensure that patients with serious illness receive proper nourishment
Massage therapists who are trained in many types of massage, including oncology massage, which is a specialized approach that supports the body’s health before, during and after cancer treatment
Chaplains who confidentially and compassionately support the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones, regardless of their faith
The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center offers classes to provide community and enhance well-being and healing for patients and their caregivers. Classes include:
The City and its partners have been working for two years to train workers as part of a community-focused jobs initiative designed to build a pipeline of skilled healthcare and digital health professionals. (Adobe Stock)
birminghamal.gov
The City of Birmingham along with the Birmingham Region Health Partnership (BRHP) launches the Good Jobs Birmingham Healthcare recruitment campaign and new website for jobseekers. The City and its partners have been working for two years to train workers as part of a community-focused jobs initiative designed to build a pipeline of skilled healthcare and digital health professionals.
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the City of Birmingham a $10.8 million grant under the American Rescue Plan’s Good Jobs Challenge. Since then, more than 200 regional residents have benefited from the program. Through this grant, jobseekers will be trained and placed in high-quality healthcare positions with the focus on prioritizing underserved communities, including women and people of color, to promote equitable access to healthcare careers.
Beginning today, those looking for employment in the healthcare industry will be able to access a centralized hub designed to put them on the fast track to gain training and possible employment. In response to the critical workforce shortages highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Birmingham Region Health Partnership (BRHP) was established through a collaborative effort between the City of Birmingham and five key partners: Central Six AlabamaWorks!, STRIVE Birmingham, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Prosper Birmingham, and the Women’s Foundation of Alabama. Together, they have co-designed a comprehensive solution to address the vulnerabilities in Birmingham’s healthcare ecosystem, ensuring the region is prepared for future public health challenges.
“The Good Jobs grant is a game-changer for our region,” says Kristen Holder, Executive Director of Central Six AlabamaWorks!. “The grant is providing us with the capacity to connect previously isolated pieces of our workforce ecosystem – training providers, employers, and community-based organizations to create a best-in-class Healthcare Workforce ecosystem. This unique, integrated approach represents a true investment in our community, aligning industry needs with workforce development to create sustainable, long-term economic growth.”
Over the duration of the grant, the BRHP will train 1,200 jobseekers for high-quality, in-demand healthcare roles throughout the region. The goal is to employ 1,000 individuals in these critical positions. The program is specifically focused on empowering marginalized communities, by providing them with opportunities to access high-paying, sustainable careers in the healthcare sector, from which they have historically been excluded.
“The BRHP will not only address the current workforce shortages, but it will also create equitable access to jobs that offer meaningful career growth and stability for all Birmingham residents,” said Cornell Wesley, Chief Economic Development Officer for the City of Birmingham. “Through this initiative, we are building a more resilient healthcare workforce that will improve our region’s ability to respond to future public health crises.”
Interested individuals are encouraged to apply immediately for opportunities that will provide them with the training and skills needed to thrive in the healthcare field.
For more information on how to apply, visit www.goodjobsbham.com or call (205) 259-8033.
Miles College defense will have its hands full against the high-powered Clark Atlanta offense in a SIAC matchup with the top spot in the conference on the line. (Miles College)
By Donald Hunt | For The Birmingham Times
Miles College has now won four consecutive games and sits atop the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Coming off an impressive 31-21 victory over Albany State last week, the Golden Bears (4-2, 4-0) now travel to Clark Atlanta (4-1-1, 4-1) for a Saturday, Oct. 19 kickoff at 12 p.m. The Panthers are tied for second place in the standings with Fort Valley State (4-2, 4-1).
Expect the Miles College defense to be tested. Clark Atlanta is led by quarterback David Wright III who is ranked sixth in NCAA Division II passing. Wright has thrown for 1,845 yards with 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Wide receiver Armone Harris leads the country with 11 receiving touchdowns.
Last week, Miles College received stellar performances from linebacker William Hardy (seven total tackles), defensive back Jeremiah Hudson-Davis seven total tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack) and defensive end Jamichael Rogers (five total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack) in the win over Albany State. The Golden Bears will have to control the prolific passing attack of Clark Atlanta in the biggest game of the week in the SIAC.
In other SIAC action, Tuskegee University (3-3, 3-1) will host Kentucky State on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. in what should be another major clash in the conference. Tuskegee University is on a three-game winning streak. The Golden Tigers posted a 27-17 win over Lane College last week. Tuskegee University quarterback Raequan Beal completed 10-of-19 passes for 170 yards and two TDs to help his team pick up an important conference win.
In the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Alabama A&M and Alabama State have a bye week leading up to the Magic City Classic on Oct. 26 at Legion Field. Alabama State defeated Mississippi Valley State, 54-17, last week. Alabama A&M crushed Bethune-Cookman, 56-12, to carry some momentum into one of the biggest HBCU football games of the year.
Bessemer native André Holland stars in “Exhibiting Forgiveness” which opens in theaters on October 18. Holland considers his role as a Black artist on the path to success whose journey is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father his most challenging. (Titus Kaphar, Exhibiting Forgiveness)
By Javacia HarrIs Bowser | For The Birmingham Times
André Holland’s leading role as Tarrell in the film “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is one of the hardest things he’s ever done, he said. The film follows Tarrell, a Black artist on the path to success whose journey is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father — a recovering addict who’s desperate to reconcile. The film, which opens in theaters nationwide today (October 18), was written and directed by artist Titus Kaphar and is loosely based on Kaphar’s life.
To play the part authentically, Holland, a Bessemer native, had to learn how to paint. “I knew the painting would be a challenge because I’m not an artist by any stretch of imagination and I’m a bit colorblind too,” Holland said. “But I wanted to do it justice.”
So, he worked with Kaphar to prepare. But Holland knew the most daunting part of the role would be the toll it would take emotionally. “The emotional life of the character proved to be the most challenging part because it’s relentless,” said the critically acclaimed actor. “There’s not really a lot of levity or joy, especially with my character. It’s just things that get worse and worse and worse. So finding the courage and the vulnerability to go into those places and then staying in that place for the whole shoot was the most challenging part.”
But Kaphar was confident Holland was up to the task. “Everything I’ve ever seen him in has been elevated by his presence,” Kaphar said of Holland, whose credits include “Moonlight,” “42” and “Selma.”
“He has a way of bringing the best out of his scene partner and most importantly when André is on screen, we believe him,” Kaphar said.
After premiering at Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 to rave reviews, the film was acquired by Roadside Attractions for distribution. Holland considers the film a major milestone in his career.
“There have been a lot of cases, earlier in my career, where I’ve been very close to getting things that I really wanted and I felt like I was ready to do but it wasn’t my time,” Holland said. “I have felt for a long time that I’m capable of more than I’ve been given the opportunity to do. So I feel like I’ve been preparing and ready and waiting and sometimes getting frustrated, wondering when I’m going to get a chance to really do what I feel like I’m here to do.”
With “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” Holland feels he’s finally getting that chance.
“This movie came along, and I was like, yeah, that’s something I know I can do,” Holland, 44, said. “But a lot times in this business, if you haven’t done it, people don’t think you can do it. But, fortunately, Titus was willing to go to battle for me.”
And Kaphar believes it was a battle worth fighting. “This was a role that required an incredible amount of emotional range,” Kaphar said. “André delivers in every scene.””
Mary Holland, mother of actor Andre Holland, is part of a group looking to restore the Lincoln Theatre in Bessemer which first opened in 1948 as a cinema or “picture house” to show first-run movies for African American audiences. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)
An Actor’s Curiosity
Mary Holland knew that “Exhibiting Forgiveness” would be an emotionally challenging role for her son, critically acclaimed actor André Holland, because so much of the film centers on father-son relationships and Holland’s father Donald passed away in 2022.
“We were as close as 19 is to 20,” Holland said of his father.
The film follows Tarrell, a Black artist on the path to success whose journey is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father — a recovering addict who’s desperate to reconcile.
But as Mary Holland watched her son on screen in the film, she took comfort in knowing that the character Tarrell’s life experiences did not reflect André’s.
“I knew that his reality was totally different from what his character had experienced because he was from a loving family,” Mary Holland said. “His father was totally devoted to him and to the family, and we were all very close. He came from a place of a lot of love, a lot of attention, and so he is very loving and very caring about his entire village.”
Holland, 44, his older sister Maketha and his younger sister Natalie were involved in a host of extracurricular activities when they were growing up.
Getting a good academic education was top priority too. While Holland was a student at McAdory Middle School he took a scholastic aptitude test that determined he was a gifted learner. So his parents enrolled him in the Shades Valley Resource Learning Center, an enrichment program for gifted students in Jefferson County Schools. The program was located in the former Rosedale School in Homewood.
Since the Hollands lived in McCalla at the time and there was no school bus for the program, Mary Holland would drop off her son each morning at a Burger King in Hueytown where he’d catch a bus to Shades Valley RLC (which was later replaced by the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate at Shades Valley High School on Old Leeds Road).
“Then he’d get the bus back to Burger King, and I’d tell him, ‘When you get there. get something to eat and start on your homework and when I get off work, I’ll pick you up,’” Mary Holland, who worked as a business planner at U.S. Steel for 36 years, explained.
A Good Citizen
Growing up in and around Bessemer, Andre learned how to be a good citizen, he said.
“I grew to understand what it means to be a member of the community,” Andre added. “If my bike had a flat, I knew I could take it to my uncle to fix it. If we wanted some collard greens, I knew who had some greens, but I’m going to take them some peas from our garden.”
Andre believes that people are more willing to work with you when you’re good person that other artists want to be around.
Because he grew up with parents who encouraged discovery and were always eager to introduce him to something new, Andre was raised to be curious too.
“The biggest tool that you have as an actor is being curious,” he said. “If you’re curious about the world then you learn things, and then you figure out, ‘How can this inform what it is I’m trying to do?’”
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” — starring André Holland, Andra Day, John Earl Jelks and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and directed by Titus Kaphar – opens in theaters nationwide today (October 18)
Updated at 10:14 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2024 to correct title.
An active lifestyle is known to boost both mental and physical health, increasing life expectancy. It is often assumed that grandparents who care for their grandchildren engage in more activities, such as playing and going on outings, which should improve their health. However, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have found that grandparents who are heavily involved in the caregiving of their grandchildren actually experience poorer health outcomes.
The study, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, analyzed a nationally representative data set of older adults in the United States. The study found that, the more hours a grandparent spent on grandparenting activities, and whether they lived with their grandchildren — known as grandparenting intensity, the less often they were able to exercise.
Sociologist Patricia Drentea, Ph.D.
“Our goal with this study was to understand the association of grandparenting with physical activity,” said Patricia Drentea, Ph.D., professor of sociology and lead author of the study. “We found an inverse relationship between the two because caring for grandchildren allows less time to pursue interests and stay active.”
Intensified caregiving adversely affects physical activity and overall health, most prominently among these groups:
Grandparents in multigenerational households
Grandparents raising grandchildren without parents
Older grandparents
Grandparents who are separated, divorced, widowed or never married
Women
Most commonly, grandparents among socially and economically disadvantaged groups are tasked with primary caregiving responsibility. This causes the effects of intensive grandparenting to be the most pronounced within these populations.
“On average, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals already struggle with worse health and finding leisure time,” Drentea said. “When you add grandparenting and caregiving responsibilities to that, they find time less time for physical activity, which worsens their health.”
The study also found that grandparents with higher socio-economic and education levels were less likely to engage in intense grandparenting because “they have more autonomy and resources to engage in leisure activities,” she said.
Co-authors Greg Pavela, Ph.D., associate dean of Academic Affairs in the School of Public Health; Julie Locher, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Medicine; and UAB alumnus Lu Tian, Ph.D., acknowledge that grandparenting can be beneficial for mental and physical health. However, the team’s research highlights the need for better support for grandparents, especially those in disadvantaged health and economic situations, as their caregiving responsibilities often limit their ability to engage in health-promoting physical activities.
“Supportive environments and community-based programs can help alleviate the barriers between rigorous grandparenting and positive health outcomes,” Drentea said. “With the right support, older adults can spend time in activities that are conducive to their health and well-being.”
